5 Fun Water Activities in Bimini, Bahamas

When traveling to an island like Bimini in the Bahamas, playing in the water is a must for our family. There are SO many water activities to enjoy in Bimini that kids will love, no matter what their ages are. One of my main questions during our recent stay at Hilton at Resorts World Bimini was: What excursions can we do with our 10- and 12-year-old daughters? The pools are fun, but our kids love to explore! For families with young ones in tow, here are five of the fun things to do in Bimini with kids, starting with the least adventurous to the most.

Three Pools and a Lazy River

When staying at Hilton Bimini, there are multiple pools from which to choose; besides the brand new hotel pool and expansive lazy river (completion date spring 2016), hotel guests also have access to the Resorts World pools on the property. The infinity pool has a poolside café and beautiful views of the ocean, and another pool offers a swim-up bar, hot tub and zero-entry access that families with babies will appreciate.

Porgy Bay Playground and Paradise Beach

Also on the Resorts World property is a beach playground on Porgy Bay where kids can frolic in a secured swimming area, bounce on the floating inflatables, ride water bikes, and play in the sand. There are plenty of lounge chairs and a beach bar for the adults.

Across the island is Paradise Beach which offers sweeping ocean views and unrestricted swimming with a lifeguard on duty. There are also plenty of water toys available for rent — stand-up paddleboards, floats, water bikes, and jet skis. We brought our own snorkel equipment and saw fish, sting rays and a barracuda! The hotel tram stops regularly at both beach areas.

Bimini’s beach playground looked so fun, even before its completion (spring 2016)!

Bimini Mangrove Tour

For those who want to tour the island waters but stay somewhat dry, Bimini Undersea offers a mangrove tour on one of its shallow water skiffs. While touring through these important ecosystems, visitors will see a myriad of sea birds, fish, and sharks. Some tours will visit the Healing Hole, a natural spring that legends say have healing powers. The tours are weather and tide-dependent, so it’s wise to book this tour in advance.

Sapona Shipwreck

This was the first excursion we booked and sadly due to the weather, turned out to be the only one Mother Nature allowed us to do. The notion of allowing my novice-snorkeler-kids to swim around a shipwreck seemed preposterous at first. However, the crew assured us that not only was it safe, but that they would assess the conditions before anyone was allowed in the water. The windy conditions limited our visibility and prevented us from exploring certain areas, but we still saw a lot of sea creatures. Master Diver Nessa stayed close to our kids, pointing out fish and making sure they stayed safe, allowing my husband and me to enjoy the excursion ourselves. The crew was very knowledgeable and the ratio of crew to guests put my mind at ease.

Sapona shipwreck, which is a few miles off the coast of Bimini, is a snorkeler’s paradise and one of the fun things to do in Bimini with kids.

Wild Dolphin Excursion

It’s hard for me to write about this one, in part because we didn’t experience it, but mostly because I am still so deeply disappointed that our excursion was cancelled due to bad weather conditions. The Wild Dolphin excursion appealed to me because the dolphins are wild, not captive or trained. The boat travels eight miles into the ocean where dolphins are frequently seen. Once the dolphins are located, the ship drops anchor and visitors can jump in the water. If the dolphins choose to stay, as they often do, you can have a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, although it is likely you will see dolphins on the excursion, there is a chance that your swimming experience with them might be brief. To me, that was a worthy gamble. I hope to have the opportunity to return to Bimini, specifically to swim with wild dolphins.

A note about Bimini Undersea: The last three excursions are all offered through Bimini Undersea. You can contact the company online in advance to learn more about the excursions and what days they are offered (weather permitting, as we learned again and again), or you can book excursions via the concierge at Hilton Bimini.